Book Description
The inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-yr-old giant tortoise named Mzee (Mm-ZAY). When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-17
My 3 y/o great niece loved this book. Loved it, read over and over again.
Beautiful pictures and a moving story.......2007-10-01
This excellent account of the true story of Owen and Mzee will delight any young reader. The beautiful pictures of the animals and the park are perfectly complemented by the easy-to-read text making this book a wonderful story-time resource. Though young readers may be saddened when Owen loses his mother, his adoption by Mzee will soothe any lingering concerns while teaching a powerful lesson about acceptance. This book would be an inspiring addition to any family library.
I like this book.......2007-09-08
I bought this book for my four year old neice. It is a great story of friendship with the added bonus of being a true story. There are a lot of great photos in the book and my neice really enjoyed talking about the pictures and she added some details to the book just my commenting on what she could see in the pictures. I think this is a good purchase.
Great Book for Both Kids and Adults.......2007-08-31
Such a cute book and sent in mint condition. I would recommend this book for both children and adults.
Wonderful.......2007-08-01
What a sweet story. This book makes a great gift.It is excellent for adults to share with children.
Book Description
In this exciting follow-up to OWEN & MZEE, the New York Times bestselling story about an orphaned baby hippo named Owen and the 130-year-old giant turtle, Mzee, Craig Hatkoff explores the language of love, friendship, and nurturance that these two incredible creatures share with one another. This book traces their first year together, including their adorable playful ways and the unique "language" that they have developed.
Customer Reviews:
Lovely true tale .......2007-08-25
We purchased this book for our four-year-old avid book lover. While the book gives way to much info to keep a four-year-old's attention (unless they really love books), the photos are amazing and it is easy to shorten the relatable information until the child is old enough to appreciate it. Great book for reading/looking through just before going to a zoo.
Owen & Mzee a Wonderful Book.......2007-08-24
I got this book for my 4 year old niece. As an animal lover, I knew she would be charmed, but I didn't expect the adults to be so enthralled. Everyone who picks up this book gets caught up in the story and pictures. Thank you.
a marvelous story and book.......2007-08-23
The story and pictures are terrific, and the story of these unusual friends is beautifully told. A super book to own.
A lovely story kids will find involving........2007-07-10
Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu's OWEN & MZEE: THE LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP provides a sequel to the true story of a unique friendship between a land tortoise and a baby hippo. Photos by Peter Greste explore a special friendship in text and color images, making for a lovely story kids will find involving.
Nice one.......2007-06-02
We have enjoyed reading this book about the unusual friendship between an orphaned baby hippo and a crusty old tortoise.
The quality of the paper used and the large photo-illustrations are appealing.
The story is delightful and raises many questions, some of which are answered. It both invites the reader to marvel at the mysteries that exist in nature, and educates the reader a little about the animals concerned and conservation in general.
Book Description
Isabella arrived in London in 1308, the spirited twelve-year-old daughter of King Philip IV of France. Her marriage to the heir to England’s throne was designed to heal old political wounds between the two countries, and in the years that followed, she would become an important figure, a determined and clever woman whose influence would come to last centuries. But Queen Isabella’s political machinations led generations of historians to malign her, earning her a reputation as a ruthless schemer and an odious nickname, “the She-Wolf of France.”
Now the acclaimed author of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alison Weir, reexamines the life of Isabella of England, history’s other notorious and charismatic medieval queen. Praised for her fair looks, the newly wed Isabella was denied the attentions of Edward II, a weak, sexually ambiguous monarch with scant taste for his royal duties. As their marriage progressed, Isabella was neglected by her dissolute husband and slighted by his favored male courtiers. Humiliated and deprived of her income, her children, and her liberty, Isabella escaped to France, where she entered into a passionate affair with Edward II’s mortal enemy, Roger Mortimer. Together, Isabella and Mortimer led the only successful invasion of English soil since the Norman Conquest of 1066, deposing Edward and ruling in his stead as co-regents for Isabella’s young son, Edward III. Fate, however, was soon to catch up with Isabella and her lover.
Many mysteries and legends have been woven around Isabella’s story. She was long condemned as an accessory to Edward II’s brutal murder in 1327, but recent research has cast doubt on whether that murder even took place.
Isabella’s reputation, then, rests largely on the prejudices of monkish chroniclers and prudish Victorian scholars. Here Alison Weir gives a startling, groundbreaking new perspective on Isabella, in this first full biography in more than 150 years. In a work of extraordinary original research, Weir effectively strips away centuries of propaganda, legend, and romantic myth, and reveals a truly remarkable woman who had a profound influence upon the age in which she lived and the history of western Europe.
Engaging, vibrant, alive with breathtaking detail and unforgettable characters, Queen Isabella is biographical history at its finest.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Isabella:Treachey,Adultrey, and Murder inMedieval England.......2007-10-11
Alison Weir has written an exciting and insightful biography about a much maligned Queen. Her reseach and documentation are impeccable. I found myself bound to this book, I could not put it down. Ms.Weir has once again made history live for me.
2.5 stars.......2007-10-08
As always, Alison Weir has written an easy-to-read, interesting piece of popular history that engages its reader. The writing style is crisp and well-written. Her facts are for the most part great, certainly better than some writing in this period. But it's the interpretation of the facts that tend to bother me here. I was unimpressed with Weir's consistent vindication of Isabella-as-a-much-wronged-victim(which seems to be popular these days) and the use of this as "justification" later on.
For one, I was bothered by Weir's frequent referencing of Isabella's "mistreatment" and "abandonment". As if Medieval women expected anything less. Women in Isabella's position were quite frequently, if not usually, ignored in favor of mistresses, placed second to council, kept from their children, and subject to their husband's every whim. This does not make it right, of course, but it's not as if people would expect much less. And in fact, many a time Edward was very good to Isabella, letting her drastically overspend, he is said to have only reproached her once. I find it interesting that when she was in France cavorting with Mortimer that Edward had the legal right to kill her, he could have sent people to beat the snot out of her, and yet he did not. I believe this says a great deal about his character. But I digress.
Another thing I was annoyed with was Weir's attitudes towards homosexuality. I recall her using the word "perverted" more than once(and in a way that was reflecting more her beliefs than society at the time's). And some pretty sharp double edged swords were being thrown here. When Edward is influenced by one of his advisers-likely lovers-it's a perverted hold and means he is weak and a horrible King. But when Isabella in 1527-1530 lets Mortimer take the reigns(allegedly), it's just because of her feelings for him and we should only blame her a bit.
I'm definitely not convinced at this portrayal of Isabella. Weir-grudgingly-admits to a bit of ruthlessness in her character before amping up her much vaunted "good qualities"(all which require coaching out of their shells) and blaming whatever man is handy at the time. Her greed and power-hungriness is skimmed in a paragraph, while the Despensers and Edward get a whole chapter dedicated to their(admittedly excessive) expenditures, and it's never mentioned that Isabella's were much worse! Isabella was certainly a force to be reckoned with-head strong, intelligent, courageous-yet no matter how hard you press that it was justified, a woman who watches a man she knew being slit from top to bottom, howling along the way, slowly dying, and throw a party afterward is not a delicate little flower. A mother who would refuse her children one last time to see their beloved father can hardly be called kind-hearted. And yet Weir would have us believe she is just a gentle little bookworm, doe-souled mother who was just getting her rightful little revenge.
Not to say I loathed this book. I'm a fan of Weir's style, even if I disagree utterly with the conclusions she comes to. The three parts ("Isabella and Edward", "Isabella and Mortimer", "Isabella") were well divided, and the chapters within were interesting(I'm curious where many of the quotes came from at the beginning of each, Shakespeare, perhaps?). Like in all of her biographies, Weir has a chapter dedicated to the styling of the household at the time, equipped with Castle descriptions, employees of the subject, their day-to-day life-I tend to enjoy this chapter the most in her books(her "King and Court" book on Henry VIII is written in roughly half of this style, if anyone is interested). I did feel some sympathy for Isabella in many places, and I didn't feel Weir was ridiculous with the assertions she made to help clear Isabella's name(although her Edward II survival story sounded alarmingly fictitious, however, she never states it as concrete fact, so I was entertained.)
Overall, I would recommend this book not as a starting point, but for one who is reasonably schooled in this era of history.
The Fourteenth Century comes alive.......2007-06-15
Vivid and compelling depiction of an often maligned historical figure who emerges as much more complex and sympathetic than usual in histories of the period.
Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England.......2007-03-09
Excellent writing and a mesmerizing story: in-depth research and character-development creates an historical setting that involves the reader.
Fourteenth Century Revolutionary or Shrewd Businesswoman?.......2007-02-04
This is the best of the Alison Weir books I have read, and the others are 5 star books as well. The beginning part develops the characters, the later part is more reportorial. Weir concludes with a summary of Isabella's role as a revolutionary.
Isabella clearly defied the narrow female role of her times, but her revolutionary role, in my view, was accidental. It was not the confiscation of land of the nobles, nor the suspension of habeas corpus that motivated her, it was the suspension of her revenues and it seems to a lesser extent, her forced separation from the crown prince.
She was clever in "networking" with the many who had grievances against Edward II, and wise in her pardoning her adversaries and paying her supporters. Weir guides us towards blaming Mortimer for the re-institution of conficatory policies. I'm not convinced. As a woman in this time, Isabella surely needed male support and advice. Perhaps he steered in the directions she wanted to go.
Medieval England is barbarous, in many ways. The descriptions of the hangings anesthetize the reader to the ultimate burial of Isabella.
There are incisive descriptions of the relationships with Scotland, France and other continental courts, and the church. These narratives contribute to making the book more than just a good read for the lay reader.
Book Description
In fourteenth-century England, young Eleanor de Clare, favorite niece of King Edward II, is delighted with her marriage to Hugh le Despenser and her appointment to Queen Isabella's household as a lady-in-waiting. It soon becomes apparent, however, that Eleanor's beloved uncle is not the king the nobles of the land—or his queen—expected. Hugh's unbridled ambition and his intimate relationship with Edward arouse widespread resentment, even as Eleanor remains fiercely loyal to her husband and to her king. But loyalty has its price… Moving from royal palaces to prison cells, from the battlefield to the bedroom, between hope and despair, treachery and fidelity, hatred and abiding love, The Traitor's Wife is a tale of an extraordinary woman living in extraordinary times.
A noblewoman pays the price for her loyalty to an unpopular king and her unfaithful husband...conveys emotions and relationships quite poignantly...ultimately, entertaining historical fiction.
-Kirkus Discoveries
Download Description
In fourteenth-century England, young Eleanor de Clare, favorite niece of King Edward II, is delighted with her marriage to Hugh le Despenser and her appointment to Queen Isabella's household as a lady-in-waiting. It soon becomes apparent, however, that Eleanor's beloved uncle is not the king the nobles of the land-or his queen-expected. Hugh's unbridled ambition and his intimate relationship with Edward arouse widespread resentment, even as Eleanor remains fiercely loyal to her husband and to her king. But loyalty has its price. Moving from royal palaces to prison cells, from the battlefield to the bedroom, between hope and despair, treachery and fidelity, hatred and abiding love, The Traitor's Wife is a tale of an extraordinary woman living in extraordinary times.
Customer Reviews:
Scandals, scandals, and more scandals!.......2007-10-19
After King Edward's death, his eldest son Edward II was to inherit the throne. Edward II was rumored to have sexual relations with Piers Gaveston, while nothing was ever proven for sure. Edward as well as Piers both married beautiful women, and sired beautiful children. King Edward II doted on Piers claiming him as close as a brother, but in turn that made Edwards other brothers furious as they did not receive such niceties.
Piers Gaveston had been exiled many times until finally he met his death by beheading. This saddened the King beyond measure and from that moment on the kingdom as I call it diminished. Through all of this, Eleanor le Despenser a former Clare, and the King's niece was by the King's side as well as a lady's maid of sorts to the Queen.
Eleanor was always in the middle whether it be defending her husband, the King, or even Gaveston. When Hugh le Despenser was accused of piracy, or other horrid deeds through his life, Eleanor stood by his side faithfully and ready to forgive him at any moment. When rumors began of Hugh and King Edward II intimacies, Eleanor remains loyal, but it truly was not a wise decision in my opinion.
So many devastating events, so many innocent as well as guilty have spilt blood, but in this story family remains the top priority to Eleanor. Hugh as wreaked havoc all over, even causing Eleanor's sister to be imprisoned at one time. What will it take to knock Hugh off his high horse so to speak? Is there any way King Edward can regain the respect of his people or is all doomed?
Susan Higginbotham has definitely done her share of research in spinning this tale of deceit, betrayal, romance, and untimely deaths. The Traitor's Wife was based on actual events although some of the names were changed so not to confuse the reader, I really appreciated that. I had no idea that such scandal occurred in this historical time. The author made each and every character no matter how small come to life. Vivid images of traitors deaths, births, and the beauty of a faithful wife have forever been etched into my mind.
If you are looking for an informative and sitting on the edge of your seat kind of read, then The Traitor's Wife is the novel for you. So much history is packed between the covers of this book. I would recommend this to anyone who shares a love of Historicals. 5 hearts
An Anglophile's Must-Read.......2007-10-09
Susan Higginbotham has created an intricate and substantial tapestry of English life in the fourteenth century. The Traitor's Wife recounts the history of the reign of Edward II and the beginning years of his son's reign. The story revolves around Edward, the likeable king who was nevertheless not strong enough to hold the loyalty of his people, and Isabella, his beautiful but icy young Queen. However, the central character is a relatively unknown person from history: Eleanor de Clare, granddaughter of Edward I and, when the story opens, thirteen year old bride to an up-and-coming young commoner, Hugh le Despenser.
Ms. Higginbotham writes in a clear and precise style, and her subject has been painstakingly researched. The author's clarity is particularly helpful considering the legions of characters who all bear the same names. There are scads of Edwards, Eleanors, Isabels, Joans, and Hughs. In addition, half the cast bears a title as well as a given name, and their habit of intermarrying means that everyone is related to everyone else. Thankfully, Ms. Higginbotham skillfully guides the reader through the complexities of these relationships until we know the people well enough to tell them apart. It wasn't until I realized that I had grown to know all the characters that I truly appreciated the author's skill.
The Traitor's Wife is the story of a king who loves intemperately and unwisely, showering his lovers with gifts and favors which bring doom upon their heads. It is the story of a queen who exacts psychological and physical revenge for the humiliation of being loved second-best. It is a story of men who stop at nothing to obtain and hold onto power, selling out their integrity, their friends, and even their bodies. And it is the story of how one woman's loyalty - to her husband, her king, and her family - is tested by fire.
I have given The Traitor's Wife 5 stars with this caveat: it is not a quick or light read. However, for Anglophiles and those with a particular interest in English history, it is a must-read. Once engaged, you will find yourself compelled to learn more about this tumultuous time of British history and wondering how, with leaders like these, the country of England ever survived the middle ages!
A Solid First Outing for Higginbotham.......2007-09-13
This is a fascinating tale of treachery and intrigue, focusing on the life of Eleanor De Clare who married Hugh le Despenser. Hugh's ambitions embroil him in the life of Edward II of England and eventually lead to his downfall. As several reviewers have already summed up the story, I need not recap it again.
This is a complicated tale, with many characters with the same names so you do have to pay close attention, although the author does provide a list of characters at the front of the book. This is not a period of English history I have read before and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Eleanor's tale. Side note, having recently read Nigel Tranter's The Bruce Trilogy it was an extra treat seeing that part of the story from the English perspective.
Although I found Eleanor to be an engaging topic, I like other reviewers found her to be a tad bit too perfect -- I mean really she should have known what Hugh was up to! Or maybe not, we'll never know. All in all a very enjoyable read and one I would recommend for any lover of historical fiction or those interested in this time period.
for the history buffs.......2007-09-03
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, so I was pretty excited to read this book. As far as historical fiction goes this book had a lot of pluses...but I guess I wanted something different from it, because I wasn't enthralled the way I had hoped to be. The writing is very accurate and thorough, and the characters have personality...you're able to become immersed in the story and become involved with the characters. I just found my mind wandering fairly often. I'm pretty sure that much of my problem with the story was my own bias and disinterest in that particular portion of history. I can't keep all the King Edwards straight, I can't keep the dates straight...and as a result, I never fully became engrossed with the story.
As I mentioned, the writing itself is superb--the author has definitely done her research (then again, the facts could be all wrong and I'd never realize the difference..) and her characters are well developed and likable. I just found the story a little too long and drawn out for my liking. But that's me. I don't want you to read this and think I'm giving it a negative review, because I'm not. Not even close. It just wasn't my cup of tea. However, as a piece of literature its incredible...so long as its something that you're interested in.
If you enjoy historical fiction -- especially in relation to King Edward and his reign, this is definitely a book you should check out. I'd highly recommend it to the history buffs.
The Traitor's Wife.......2007-07-14
The Traitor's Wife is a fictional tale based upon the real life, genealogical records, and whispered gossip of Edward II of England. This tale gets right into the hearsay of Edward and Piers Gaveston's special relationship right at the opening of the action. The book even has the two discussing the need to produce heirs and determining an appropriate match for Piers. Infighting, schemes, and scandals continue throughout the rest of the entire story. This book definitely shows a more private, hidden face of Edward and his peers than most works written about this time period.
As I first started reading this book, I was really glad that the author had included crib notes describing who each person was and their relationship to others in the story. After a while though, I found it much easier to figure out who was who. This was particularly true of those main characters that always seem to be at the thick of the latest melodrama.
Average customer rating:
- I loved the journey!
- ILoved reading The quest
- Falconers Quest (Heirs of Acadia #5)
- terrific exciting high seas adventure thriller
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Falconers Quest (Heirs of Acadia #5)
T. Davis Bunn , and
Isabella Bunn
Manufacturer: Bethany House
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The Night Angel (Heirs of Acadia #4)
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The Noble Fugitive (Heirs of Acadia #3)
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ASIN: 0764203584
Release Date: 2007-04-01 |
Book Description
Davis and Isabella Bunn combine their complementary skills and experiences in crafting the compelling stories of the HEIRS OF ACADIA historical fiction series. John Falconer, a hero readers can believe in, was introduced in Book 3, The Noble Fugitive. Along with Book 4, The Night Angel, these last three novels of the series can be appreciated on their own. John Falconer, known to most as simply Falconer, is a large, powerfully built man whose gentle spirit shines through the physical and emotional scars of his previous life as a slave trader. His redemption has brought him full circle to the anti-slavery cause and a personal mission to free every slave he possibly can. After the events recounted in The Night Angel, Falconer settles in a Moravian community on the Underground Railroad. He cherishes his new wife, Ada, and her son, Matt, whom he loves as his own. Falconer finally has discovered peace, within and without. When the unimaginable happens, he and Matt face a loss so searing they can barely endure another day. Falconer finds himself back on board ship—this time with a father's responsibilities and an assignment of rescue rather than capture. His course takes him from the eastern seaboard of America to France, from Marseilles to the shores of North Africa. But enormous danger, risk of failure and even death challenge him on the high seas and in the desert’s strongholds. He has conquered many of life's storms, but none as vast as this. All the while, those inner bondages that have gripped as powerfully as iron chains are gradually loosening their hold. And a new hope begins to stir within… The story of character forged in the fires of grief, loss and faith
Customer Reviews:
I loved the journey!.......2007-09-01
Falconer's Quest probably will be the final story in this saga. I wish that it would have ended more decisively, but that is a personal view. I loved traveling with through the many twists and turns that start almost immediately. One more book would be great, to wrap up some things and to see where Matt's life choices take him.
ILoved reading The quest.......2007-06-02
I try to read everything written by Mr. Bunn and now his wife. Reading about the "Quest" was exciting and I was very captured by how the authors rendered this sequel. It shocked me to read that the main character's wife Ada died very early in the book, but I was pleased to see how healing came to so many as the story unfolded. The details about life on a boat/at sea were informative and very descriptive. There were so many times when I read and re-read sections to re-live the excitement and action. I look forward to other works by this author team of husband/wife.
Falconers Quest (Heirs of Acadia #5).......2007-05-18
I highly recommend this book. It is a great Christian fiction read. This entire series takes you through the lives and trials of multiple characters and it has been a joy to read.
terrific exciting high seas adventure thriller.......2007-04-05
In the 1830s in Salem though he mourns his loss John Falconer tries to move on following the death of his beloved wife of eighteen months Ada so that he can be there for her son Matt whom he promised to raise as his own. Already tight as a father and son though not the lad's natural sire, John and just turned ten Matt become even closer than most biological parents are with their children as they turn to one another for comfort.
A friend Reginald Langston asks John for a favor for him and his wife Lillian as they are at their wit's end to free his willful adult stepson Byron from slave traders; John agrees. With Matt at his side, John sails from their Moravian home across the Atlantic to France; from there they continue their quest across Mediterranean to North Africa seeking the deadly abusive pirate Ali Saleem, notorious for leaving slaves and crew better off dead than alive from his beatings.
The latest Heirs of Acadia historical tale is a terrific exciting high seas adventure thriller that never slows down from the moment Reginald makes his request until the final confrontation. However, as always with this strong series it is the characters, in this case John, who make the novel fun and inspirational. John has reasons to say no as he grieves his loss, but instead he says yes because his friend needs him. His fortitude will be tested by a vile pirate as the Bunn writing team provides a wonderful stand alone that will send the audience seeking previous saga works especially NOBLE FUGITIVE.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
A Life Worth Living brings together the latest thought on Positive Psychology from an international cast of scholars. It includes historical, philosophical, and empirical reviews of what psychologists have found to matter for personal happiness and well-being. The contributions to this volume agree on priciples of optimal development that start from purely material and selfish concerns, but then lead to ever broader circles of responsibility embracing the goals of others and the well-being of the environment; on the importance of spirituality; on the development of strengths specific to the individual. Rather than material success, popularity, or power, the investigations reported in this volume suggest that personally constructed goals, intrinsic motivation, and a sense of autonomy are much more important. The chapters indicate that hardship and suffering do not necessarily make us unhappy, and they suggest therapeutical implications for improving the quality of life. Specific topics covered include the formation of optimal childhood values and habits as well as a new perspective on aging. This volume provides a powerful counterpoint to a mistakenly reductionist psychology. They show that subjective experience can be studied scientifically and measured accurately. They highlight the potentiality for autonomy and freedom that is among the most precious elements of the human condition. MOreover, they make a convincing case for the importance of subjective phenomena, which often affect happiness more than external, material conditions. After long decades during which psychologists seemed to have forgotten that misery is not the only option, the blossoming of Positive Psychology promises a better understanding of what a vigorous, meaningful life may consist of.
Book Description
Isabelle d’Este, daughter of the Duke of Ferrara, born into privilege and the political and artistic turbulence of Renaissance Italy, is a stunning black-eyed blond and an art lover and collector. Worldly and ambitious, she has never envied her less attractive sister, the spirited but naïve Beatrice, until, by a quirk of fate, Beatrice is betrothed to the future Duke of Milan. Although he is more than twice their age, openly lives with his mistress, and is reputedly trying to eliminate the current duke by nefarious means, Ludovico Sforza is Isabella’s match in intellect and passion for all things of beauty. Only he would allow her to fulfill her destiny: to reign over one of the world’s most powerful and enlightened realms and be immortalized in oil by the genius Leonardo da Vinci. Isabella vows that she will not rest until she wins her true fate, and the two sisters compete for supremacy in the illustrious courts of Europe.
A haunting novel of rivalry, love, and betrayal that transports you back to Renaissance Italy, Leonardo’s Swans will have you dashing to the works of the great master—not for clues to a mystery but to contemplate the secrets of the human heart.
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Chapter One
X * FORTUNA (CHANCE)
FROM THE NOTEBOOK OF LEONARDO:
When Fortune comes, seize her firmly at the forelock, for I tell you, she is bald at the back.
IN THE YEAR 1489; IN THE CITY OF FERRARA
She grew up in a land of fairy tales and miracles. That is what Isabella is explaining to Francesco as they ride through Ferrara's streets. It is Christmastime, and though there is no snow on the dry stone road, the horses shoot clouds of steam into the frigid air through their nostrils.
This is the first time she has been allowed to escort her fiancé through the city on one of his visits. Francesco Gonzaga, future Marquis of Mantua, has come to Ferrara to romance his soon-to-be bride and to enjoy the city's many Christmas pageants ordered by Isabella's father, Duke Ercole d'Este, a great patron of the theater. Isabella believes that the more she tells Francesco of Ferrara's secrets and wonders, and the more she shows him of her father's spectacular building projects and improvements, the more he will realize her value.
In this very church, Isabella says, pointing to St. Mary's of the Ford, almost two hundred years ago on Easter Sunday, the priest broke the Eucharist in two, and flesh and blood came spraying forth, covering the walls of the church and splattering the entire flock.
"The parishioners watched in awe," Isabella says, eyes wide with drama. "The Bishop of Ferrara and the Archbishop of Ravenna came to see it. They instantly recognized it as the body and blood of Christ and declared it a true miracle of the Eucharist."
Francesco solemnly makes the sign of the cross as they ride past the church, but his eyebrows arch skeptically, making him look entirely out of step with the act.
Beatrice trots ahead of the pair of lovers, her long braid swinging in saucy rhythm with the horse's mane, as uninterested as her steed in their conversation.
"Isn't that right, Beatrice?" Isabella asks her sister for confirmation of her story, hoping that the odd girl does not say anything to contradict her. Beatrice is a puzzle to Isabella, a fact that the older sister blames on the girl's unsupervised upbringing in wild Naples. The girl is a feral, unformed thing, alternately shy, naive, aloof, and bold--the latter especially apparent when riding or hunting. How such a small fourteen-year-old girl, who is not particularly courageous outside of these activities, excels at all manly sport is a mystery to Isabella, but the fact of Beatrice's prowess remains, no matter how enigmatic.
"I wouldn't know. I wasn't there!" Beatrice finally answers without turning around, but they can hear her laugh at her own joke.
The animal's swaying ass taunts Isabella, who knows that her sister is dying to break away from them to test the horse's speed. Francesco has brought Drago, the pure white Spanish charger, from his family's stud farm on the island of Tejeto, as a gift for the girls' father. But Beatrice immediately took over the animal, talking to him in whispers that should be reserved for a lover, and hopping upon him and riding away, as if the painstakingly bred horse was meant to carry a little girl in a pink riding dress and not a fearsome knight in armor.
"I'll tell you a miracle that happened right here in Ferrara that is even better," Francesco says, sidling his horse right up to Isabella's so that their legs touch. She knows she should pull away, that her mother would rail against this sort of indiscriminate physical contact, even with leather riding boots providing a barrier to the couple's much-craved intimacy, but instead, she rides with slow care so that they might continue to brush against one another.
"What miracle is that?" she asks, suppressing a smile.
"That your father agreed that you should be my wife," he answers.
You have no idea j
Customer Reviews:
A Very Enjoyable Read.......2007-09-16
As one who normally gravitates to English historical fiction, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book, but was drawn to it because of the inclusion of Leonardo da Vinci. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the period of Italian history presented. It takes you to a different time and place with ease. After finishing the book, I find myself wanting to read more Italian historical fiction and to visit the works of Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre. Just the kind of inspiration you hope to get from a great book!
Well done.......2007-07-16
I enjoyed this novel more than Essex's IN THE COMPANY OF A COURTESAN. Over all, the book is a well done weaving of fact and fiction. Essex is a talented writer - I thoroughly enjoy her style and ability to move the story along rather quickly. My main critisim is lack of character development and telling nuances. Just a little more heart and depth to each of the main women characters would have really made this a show stopper. In general, it read like a very visual movie and a great story that I have not read in a novel version before.
I especially enjoyed *learning* a little more about several of the lovely faces that grace Leonardo's work. I say "learning," assuming that the general story is close to the facts and conceivably possible - which seems to be the case. Mind you that I am no Italian historical biographer - I'm sure Essex took the needed literary liberty as needed. A wonderful read!
A letdown in the genre of historical fiction.......2007-06-04
This book had very little to do with the aforementioned painting and with Leonardo da Vinci in general, in which case I was let down because it turned out to be something I did not expect. Based on a true tale of Renaissance era power families in Italy, the characters seemed like mere ciphers who existed solely to report the goings on of the day. Essex seemingly couldn't decide between an historical work or historical fiction and, as a result, this book is neither. Given authors like Dunant and Gregory, historical fiction can be so much more in the hands of a gifted storyteller. This book was a disappointment through and through.
Karen takes you back to DaVinci's life and times.......2007-05-22
Very enjoyable read, a real insight to Leonardo DaVinci and his contemporaries. The characters come alive!
Leonardo's Swans.......2007-05-13
For anyone who enjoys historical fiction AND/OR is planning a trip to Milan, THIS is the book for you. The story line was easy to follow and hard to put down. The details of the Sforza Castle, of Leonardo's various works and his quirks, and the history of ruling families in Italy during the 1400's-1500's was fascinating! It honestly made my last trip to Milan much more meaningful as I almost felt I knew Isabella and the Moro. A GREAT read!
Amazon.com
I felt as if I were being told interior design secrets that had been kept from me for years. Curtains have always been something I thought should be left to the experts -- or at least to J.C Penneys. But who better knows what a room needs than yourself? Some of the projects I especially enjoyed were how to make velvet rose tiebacks and a stained glass window shade and how to add painted effects to your curtains with stencils.
Book Description
The best-selling comprehensive guide to creating your own window treatments. Learn to make professional-looking curtains, drapes, blinds, and valances-from choosing the best style to cutting, making, and fitting. Over 35 practical, step-by-step projects.
Customer Reviews:
The BEST yet!.......2007-02-19
I've ordered 6 books, and this was the BEST of the lot! (published by Reader's Digest) Yes, it's a 1994 copyright, but the looks & styles haven't changed that much in 13-years. There are over 200 photos that lend to a myriad of ideas for each room of your home. Each chapter (there are 5 in this 192-page hardcover book) outlines what one needs to consider when deciding on a style/look for windows. I found the book VERY THOROUGH: advice on considerations for window shapes/sizes, room-by-room inspirational ideas, actual step-by-step instructions for creating each style (with sketches) for all levels of sewing ability, how to measure one's windows, photos & descriptions of all types of fabric, trims, & shades and the why/when/purpose of using them; sewing techniques & fabric care, etc.; I could go on and on! There are so many wonderful window treatments, that I wish I had more windows now! I'm certainly not disappointed with this book -- in fact I'm absolutely THRILLED. Had I received this book first, I wouldn't have ordered the other 5!
Nothing ultimate about it.......2007-01-18
Nothing "ultimate" about this book. Gives a few general suggestions and directions, but does not offer anything different or unusual. Pictures and ideas are limited and not worth the cost of the book. You're better off with an Architectural Digest magazine if you're looking for ideas.
Afraid I'm Not That Good With Illustrations.......2006-11-25
I bought four books in my quest to learn to properly sew curtains and drapes. I have been sewing since girlhood, but simple curtains and throw pillows are the farthest I've gotten into home decorating sewing. (I'm a grandma now).
This book only got 2 stars because of the lack of photos, not of finished window treatments, but of projects in the making. I find the illustrations not too good and in most cases too difficult to follow. Guess what? That leaves a person having to figure it out on her own - guess I could have done that without the book!
In fairness to the author, this book did have something the others did not. This book has fairly extensive sections on fabrics, types, colors, usages, care, colors. Also, the back has yardage calculator charts which no other book has. Unfortunately, I would not buy this book just for that.
I think if this book were to be published with photos instead of difficult to follow illustrations, it would be a must-have for my sewing library. As it is, I cannot recommend it.
Great Book!.......2006-05-07
I found this book to helpful in several ways. It has detailed sewing instructions along with great sketches and photos. I have made several of the projects and have been happy with all of the results. I am an experienced sewer, but even a novice could follow these instructions. Unlike another reviewer I do not think it is outdated at all. It is filled with classic, traditional treatments as well as some unique ones, --not half brained or trash styles like you find on Trading Spaces. I love this book and am glad to have it in my collection.
The world's leading window decorating authority.......2005-12-15
I really like this book; it is beautifully illustrated and has some equally beautiful photos. I concur with some other comments that "it is not for the beginner." It is an elegant and well put together book.
Charles Randall
Author of The Encyclopedia of Window Fashions
Average customer rating:
- Only "Some" of her
- "Is Being Remembered a Kind of Antidote to Death?"
- I want to hang out with Isabella Rossellini
- european grace
- An enjoyable piece of film history
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Some of Me
Isabella Rossellini
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Isabella Rossellini: Looking At Me: On Pictures and Photographs
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In the Name of the Father, The Daughter, And The Holy Sprirts: Remembering Roberto Rossellini
ASIN: 0679452524
Release Date: 1997-06-02 |
Amazon.com
Some of Me is full of magic realism, moral elegance, and monstres sacrés. Though Isabella Rossellini deliberately chooses to reveal only bits of herself in her anecdotal new memoir, what amazing aspects they are. The photos tell part of the story: alongside Vogue covers and sumptuous magazine spreads, there are odder images--Ingrid Bergman in a balaclava; Rossellini sprawled on a chair with her potbellied pig and dog sprawled on her, all three looking equally pensive.
But, oh, the prose! More provocative than ten tell-alls stacked together, Some of Me is an analyst's treasure trove and a reader's delight. There is something for everyone. Those interested in Rossellini's rise and fall as the Lancôme model will find indignant if good-humored fodder--she warns some to skip ahead "if you can't stand boring." But even those of us who wish we didn't know all those supermodels' names will find this section intriguing. Rossellini also provides some intriguing insights into her often bizarre film roles. There are, though, more bravura sections in this memoir. Who knew that Rossellini still communes with her dead parents? The author prints some of their debates verbatim, though she has already warned: "It's a habit of mine to embellish and color events until I lose sight of what really happened." Rossellini also takes on more upsetting memories such as the painful treatment she underwent for scoliosis and the thoughtless questions people ask about her adopted child. At one point, she remarks, "True elegance is for me the manifestation of an independent mind." Some of Me is a truly elegant manifestation.
Book Description
She writes of her mother, Ingrid Bergman: "Second to acting, Mother loved cleaning, which is not to say she loved even that above me. I'm sure she loved me more than cleaning, but what made her happiest was combining the two."
She writes of her father, Roberto Rossellini: "My father was a Jewish mother ... When we were children (there were seven of us) one of our favorite games was throwing ourselves into Daddy's body. Lying on his side, he pretended to be the sow and we were the piglets."
She writes about her famous nude scene in David Lynch's
Blue Velvet, and of posing for such world-renowned photographers as Richard Avedon, Bruce Weber, and Steven Meisel. About being fired as the face of Lancome because she dared to become forty, and about the two years of scoliosis that blighted her adolescence. She talks -- candidly but discreetly -- about the men in her life: her ex-husband Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, and Gary Oldman. And she conducts intimate and extended dialogues with her beloved dead parents.
This book is utterly original, human, and provocative. Like the author herself.
Customer Reviews:
Only "Some" of her.......2004-07-06
Isabella Rossellini lays bare some of her life in "Some of Me," an autobiography that reads like a prism -- it splits her life into many images, while never really forming a whole. It's an intriguing read, with plenty of interesting details about a unique life, but somehow Rossellini never quite bares her soul.
Rosselini writes about her childhood in Italy, with movie icon Ingrid Bergman as a mother, and revolutionary filmmaker Roberto Rossellini as a father. She reluctantly entered acting -- and almost stopped forever when her first film was a flop -- and became a Lancôme cosmetics model, only to be fired for her age. She tells of her son's adoption, her battle with scoliosis, her failed marriage to Martin Scorsese, and the background of her vast mixed family.
"Some of Me" is less like an autobiography than snapshots of Rossellini's life. It's non-linear, darting from adulthood to childhood to adolescence with no order. She doesn't explain much about her husbands and lovers, but explains plenty about the wet nurse who cared for her and her twin sister as babies.
Rossellini gives the feeling of being at peace with the world -- she's gotten past her initial heartbreaks and problems. Some strong emotions -- grief at her mother's loss, anger at Lancôme's attitude towards her -- seep through. But Rossellini never really bares her deeper emotions or her soul. This book is like having a deep conversation with her: you will hear about her life, but won't be able to really get down and deep.
Despite that, Rosselini has a bright style, full of melancholy and humor. She relates conversations with her now-dead parents, talks about pelting the paparazzi with rocks, and Audrey Hepburn's dirty fingernails. She lets readers see another side of Ingrid Bergman -- a loving neat-freak, who calmly tells her daughter that she's acquainted with the F-word.
"Some of Me" is an apt title -- it gives us part of the picture, and leaves you feeling that parts of it are still hidden. Isabella Rossellini's book is engaging, but somehow feels unsatisfying.
"Is Being Remembered a Kind of Antidote to Death?".......2002-08-21
I don't usually run up and get a book autographed by the author. But person at the luncheon was mesmerizing. I sat there and thought about her mother Ingrid Bergman, her trials and tribulations, her remarkable beauty, her astonishing talent, and her warmth and genuineness. It was a wonderful and heartwarming 2 hours. I think everyone felt they had met a friend. The book? It covers the waterfront, written in crisp, clear, engaging style. Honest, memorable, including her unforgettable encounters with Anna Magnani, Katharine Hepburn, Martin Scorsese (ex-husband), Gary Oldman. Film, modeling, Television, businesswoman, human being. "Is being remembered a kind of antidote to death? Is fame a sor of eternity? A remedy to the sadness of the end? Does having a famous mother, whoisstill seen every day on TV smiling, crying, walking, talkin, maker her death different, less definitive than other deaths?" This book will last!
I want to hang out with Isabella Rossellini.......2001-11-28
My mom and I have this barometer of how personable a celebrity seems. If they seem like someone we'd get along with, we say he/she could "live on our street". I liked Isabella so much, she could be my next-door neighbour! (I'm even pretty sure she wouldn't mind that I just called her by her first name!)
I loved this book! It's funny and real, and Ms. Rossellini comes across so charmingly, flaws and all. It's not a linear autobiography--it skips about from her childhood to early adulthood willy-nilly, and doesn't strictly stick to reporting things that happened in her life. She gives a lot of insight into her own personal philosophy that somehow gives the book a much more friendly, conversational tone than the typical memoir. If I had to have a complaint, I'd wish that she were a little more gossipy about her famous husbands/boyfriends, but that's just not her style.
european grace.......2001-04-26
Isabella was fired from Lancome because the American market isn't open to the idea of 40 year old representing their products. In France, 50 year old Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve (ahh Deneuve...) have both been equal symbols of sex and obsession for decades. In America it is quite different. Isabella knew that going into the contract with Lancome. She knew that one day she would have to be replaced by younger and slimmer Uma Thurmans of the World. Perhaps it isn't fair but that's how the american market operates (oh c'mon beauty, youth and sex sells). I found her analysis on the subjec almost phony. But the real reason I read the book is that I find both her parents Bergman and Rossellinia true exemple of pure European grace. I, therefore, certainly appreciated the antecdotes and memories.
An enjoyable piece of film history.......2000-10-14
This book is an enjoyable read. Isabella Rossellini has a knack for a clever turn of phrase and she guides the reader through a witty recollection of her life. If you're looking for scandal or hot gossip, you're going to be sadly disappointed. Rossellini has chosen to write a breezy look at her complicated, and often controversial, life. She is Ingrid Bergman's daughter; Americans don't know her father. Her mother inspires awe in the hearts of Americans. In the minds of most American audiences, her father is simply the lover who caused Bergman's ruin in the '50s. Rossellini had some idea of her parents' scandalous relationship, but she was sheltered from most of it because she lived in Italy. Any discussion of Rossellini's life must begin with an examination of her parents and their effect upon their daughter. Bergman was an actress first, and a mother second. She valued her career more than her life as a mother. Rossellini does not portray her mother as a monster, or a lunatic who brandishes wire hangers at every turn. Ingrid Bergman is a complicated woman whose love of film and acting infused her entire life. She loved her children -- and she did not mistreat them -- but her first love was her acting career. As a daughter, Rossellini resented her mother's devoting to her career but she never questioned it. She never questioned her father's relationship with her mother, who was married at the time that she became involved with Roberto Rossellini. A major scandal ensued. Bergman exiled herself in Italy for many years. Upon her return to America in 1958, she won an Academy Award for her performance in Anastasia. Rossellini never explores her mother's feelings about being forced to leave America because of the scandal, nor do we get a full portrait of their marriage. Rossellini was not an attractive man, and it must have been his mind and his artistry that attracted Bergman to him. Writing about Rossellini's mother is unavoidable. Isabella Rossellini is the daughter of a famous actress. Her mother was the repository of the audience's dreams and ambitions. They wanted to be her, look like her, talk like her. It is now Isabella's turn to be that repository of dreams. Isabella Rossellini undertook this role when she became the exclusive model/spokeswoman for Lancome cosmetics. The campaigns were an enormous success, and profit margins for Lancome went up considerably. Rossellini was often known more for her Lancome ads than her film career. Lancome was not a company that prided itself on tact and personal warmth. When the company perceived Rossellini as too old, they tried to force her to resign so that they would not experience a public relations nightmare. Isabella refused to resign and the company terminated her employment. The company obviously underestimated the public, which was outraged that Rossellini had been fired. The company eventually hired Juliette Binoche, who looks suspiciously like Rossellini, for other Lancome ads. Rossellini simply reports these events; she does not make judgments about the people involved. She states the facts as she sees them, which brings up another interesting point about this book. Isabella Rossellini intentionally lies throughout large chunks of this book. She revels in her deceptions, as when she says that she gave birth to two children when she actually adopted her son. She is a natural storyteller and she weaves an interesting portrait of an actress struggling to define her own identity. One such defining moment was the film, Blue Velvet. Rossellini portrayed a brutalized torch singer in David Lynch's bizarro cinematic concoction. In one scene, she emerges from the bushes completely naked, bruised, and beaten. During the filming of this difficult scene, fans lined up with picnic baskets and chairs to watch Rossellini film the scene. Rossellini went to Lynch, and asked him to remove the people from the location, as she did not believe they should watch this difficult scene. David Lynch did nothing. She performed the scene in front of the crowd, and afterward, the audience left. They could not handle the difficult nature of the scene. Lynch's refusal to protect Rossellini's privacy as an actress makes his forays in cinematic misogyny completely
understandable. Rossellini's relationship with Lynch is not understandable. She does not detail the relationship but it is difficult to fathom why an intelligent woman would become involved with such a loony schmuck. Her marriage to Martin Scorsese also does not come under much scrutiny except for an affair with another man that produced her daughter. I wanted to know why she linked herself to men that create films which are so openly hostile. Rossellini does not provide me with that kind of analysis, but what she has provided is a wonderful, light trifle of a read. Immensely readable, it is evidence that Rossellini is more than just her mother's daughter.
Average customer rating:
- Another masterpiece by Gordon
- Great Historical Fiction
- Great novel
- A terrific story
- Solid Historical Fiction
|
The Last Jew
Noah Gordon
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Physician
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Shaman
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Rabbi
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The Death Committee
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Choices
ASIN: 0312300530 |
Book Description
In the year 1492, the Inquisition has all of Spain in its grip.After centuries of pogrom-like riots encouraged by the Church, the Jews are expelled from the country by royal edict.Many who wish to remain are intimidated by Church and Crown and become Catholics, but several hundred thousand choose to honor their religion and depart; given little time to flee, some perish even before they can escape from Spain.Yonah Toledano, the 15-year-old son of a celebrated Spanish silversmith, has seen his father and brother die during these terrible days.Trapped in Spain by circumstances, he is determined to revere the memory of his family by remaining a Jew.Yonah begins a meandering journey, a young fugitive zigzagging across the vastness of Spain.Toiling at manual labor, he desperately tries to cling to his memories of a vanished culture.As a lonely shepherd he hurls snatches of almost forgotten Hebrew at the stars; as an apprentice armorer he learns to fight like a Christian knight.Finally, in a time and land where danger from the Inquisition is everywhere, he deals with the questions that mark his past.How he discovers the answers, how he finds his way to a singular and strong Marrano woman, how he achieves a life with the outer persona of a respected Old Christian physician and the inner life of a secret Jew, is the fabric of this novel. The Last Jew is a glimpse of the past, an authentic tale of high adventure, and a tender and unforgettable love story.In it, Noah Gordon utilizes his greatest strengths, and the result is remarkable and moving.AUTHORBIO: NOAH GORDON has had outstanding international success, selling in Germany alone more than eight million copies of his recent trilogy (The Physician, Shaman, and Matters of Choice).The Society of American Historians awarded him the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Shaman as the best historical novel of 1991/1992.He was also voted "Novelist of the Year" by the readers of the Bertelsmann Book Club, and twice, in 1992 and 1995, he won the Silver Basque Prize for Spain's bestselling book.An earlier book, The Rabbi, was on the New York Times Bestseller list for 26 weeks.Noah Gordon lives with his wife in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Customer Reviews:
Another masterpiece by Gordon.......2007-08-20
I love most of Gordon's books. I say most because I really enjoy historical fiction more than contemporary fiction which can become very quickly dated. I wanted to give this a five star rating but there was such a glaring factual error with regard to Jewish worship that it made me question some of the other information in the book. A sad and beautiful lesson about survival and courage.
Great Historical Fiction.......2007-05-07
This is another great book from the author who gave us The Physician and The Rabbi. I have enjoyed every book he has written.
Great novel.......2007-05-04
It is one of the best books I've read. I actually stayed up all night cuz I couldn't stop. And I cried at the end. Gordon is a marvelous writer and did amazing historic research for this book. He exposes the horrors and cruelty of the christian church of those days, and tells a unique story that helps understand how Jews have overcome similar situations all over the world in the last 3 thousand years.
A terrific story.......2007-02-22
I loved this book and read it really quickly. I couldn't stand to put it down. This is one that I may well read again someday.
Solid Historical Fiction.......2006-04-17
Noah Gordon has here produced a solid novel about the fictional Yonah Toledano, surviving son of a Jewish silversmith slain in the furor of the Spanish Inquisition because of his involvement with churchly politics and relics. Yonah must fend for himself in the aftermath of his family's destruction and flees his native Toledo to travel across the Spanish countryside, becoming peon, shepherd, sailor and armorer by turns. Fleeing his enemies who are constantly behind him in the form of the dreaded Inquisition, Toledano takes a number of aliases and eventually settles first in the area of Gibraltar in southern Iberia and then in the north in Saragossa where he at last finds his calling as a physician. The story's well crafted, the characters richly drawn, and the details of the various cultures (from the Spanish towns and countryside to the flight of the Jews and the lurking of the gypsies) even more so. But the story is marred by a series of coincidences that impel the plot forward and are sometimes a stretch. Yonah becomes a man in the process, learning to work and fight, and to love women, though he finds these last hard to come by in his habitually straightened circumstances. Still, he grows with each experience and eventually finds a rough form of reconciliation and solace with the heritage he has lost. The best part of the tale is the well detailed and convincing background Gordon has managed to develop for his story. Nor is the story farfetched for Yonah remains very much a realistic person and does not miraculously metamorphose into a heroic gladiator type despite the trappings of sword, armor and knighthood he eventually acquires in his travels. Though he ultimately rises to the occasion to kill one man who clearly deserves it and arranges for the deaths of two others who had aimed to bring about his own, Yonah remains very much an everyman as he struggles to find his vocation and destiny. The female characters were a might weak and overly confined to the background of the tale but this didn't detract from the book's effectiveness. In the end it was quite compelling (after a somewhat sluggish start) and the ending suitably uplifting. -- SWM
Books:
- Schindler's List
- Schlepping Through the Alps: My Search for Austria's Jewish Past with Its Last Wandering Shepherd
- Single Mothers by Choice: A Guidebook for Single Women Who Are Considering or Have Chosen Motherhood
- Soros on Soros: Staying Ahead of the Curve
- Start Small, Profit Big in Real Estate: Fixer Jay's 2-Year Plan for Building Wealth - Starting from Scratch
- Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail (Oprah's Book Club)
- Sunset Western Garden Book
- Surviving in Silence: A Deaf Boy in the Holocaust, The Harry I. Dunai Story
- The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival
- The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer
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